Deal would create world’s third-largest carmaker with £46bn annual sales amid competition from China

Summary

Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi have confirmed merger talks to form the world’s third-largest carmaker by annual sales, aiming to tackle challenges from Chinese competition and the shift to electric vehicles.

The proposed merger, through a joint holding company, seeks to combine resources as Japan’s automakers struggle with declining sales and costly EV transitions, lagging behind leaders like Toyota and Chinese rivals BYD.

Nissan’s former CEO Carlos Ghosn criticized the plan, citing overlapping operations, while executives called it a pivotal move amid unprecedented industry changes. Mitsubishi will decide on joining by January’s end.

    • a1studmuffin@aussie.zoneEnglish
      111·
      3 days ago

      To be fair to him, Japan’s justice system sounds truly awful! I had no idea, but just went down a rabbithole learning about it.

      • partial_accumen@lemmy.worldEnglish
        33·
        3 days ago

        To be fair to him, Japan’s justice system sounds truly awful! I had no idea, but just went down a rabbithole learning about it.

        Then he shouldn’t have set up shell companies and funneled Nissan company funds into those to buy himself expensive real estate around the world. One doesn’t accidentally set up a shell company, deposit company funds into it, and then use those funds to buy expensive apartments in Paris.

        • a1studmuffin@aussie.zoneEnglish
          111·
          3 days ago

          Completely agree, I don’t know specifics of his case. But Japan’s justice system really does sound horrific - if you’re a defendant, there’s no presumption of innocence until proven guilty, and there’s a cultural expectation that you’ll bow to the state and accept guilt regardless of circumstances… seems like a very antiquated system to say the least. I had no idea.

          • vulgarcynic@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            28·
            3 days ago

            Sounds like a cultural expectation of accountability to me. Living in a country that is the complete opposite, I can respect having a national sense of everyone should be doing the right thing and if you’re suspected of not doing so, you need to have the character to prove it thoroughly.

  • phoneymouse@lemmy.worldEnglish
    101·
    3 days ago

    Honda strikes me as a lazy ass company. I know a lot of people like their cars, and they do make a car as good as it was 10 years ago, but they seem behind even American companies when it comes to EVs.

    • XIIIesq@lemmy.worldEnglish
      7·
      3 days ago

      Japan had huge success with hybrid cars and this caused them to put to many eggs in one basket and delay development of electric vehicles.

      • kerrigan778@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        3 days ago

        Honda never really made advanced hybrids either and they absolutely chose to drag their feet on EVs, they pushed hydrogen way too hard and even that always felt like a marketing stunt.

  • ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.worldEnglish
    301·
    4 days ago

    I’m a big fan of Honda cars. Not much of a Nissan fan (I know lots of people swear by them, but I had a bad experience with a Nissan lemon years ago). And I’ve heard Mitsubishi cars are a complete joke from a reliability perspective. So this news does not fill me with hope. If they can drag the build quality up to Honda’s standards then fine. But that’s not usually how these things pan out.

    • toast@retrolemmy.comEnglish
      21·
      4 days ago

      Don’t worry, when this new company eventually merges with Toyota, who already own parts of Subaru and Mazda, it will be perfectly positioned for acquisition by Stellantis.

      • Mr_Blott@feddit.ukEnglish
        4·
        3 days ago

        I’m baffled by that comment too.

        Nissan is Renault. Cheap, badly made junk. Not just in the US either

        Their reputation is gutter-level in Europe too

  • Magnetic_dud@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
    9·
    3 days ago

    Aren’t Nissan and Mitsubishi almost part of Renault?

    The Mitsubishi Colt is now a rebadged Renault Clio and the Mitsubishi ASX is a Renault Captur

    • magikmw@lemm.eeEnglish
      12·
      3 days ago

      All cars are other cars these days, it’s nearing car singularity. I drive a Toyota that looks like a Citroen and has an engine from the Opel.

      • Agent641@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        3 days ago

        When buying a new vehicle, you have several choice. You may purchase motorbike, car, van, or utility. Such variety.

    • tb_@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      3 days ago

      The Mitsubishi Colt is now a rebadged Renault Clio

      Huh. They’re not very common here; when I saw one driving yesterday I was wondering why it reminded me so much of Renault.

    • mlg@lemmy.worldEnglish
      81·
      4 days ago

      People complain about lack of STi and expensive as hell Corrolla GR, but I’d take that any day over a Nissan’d Mistubishi and Honda.

      RIP Lancer Evo

      • mean_bean279@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        4 days ago

        Outside of Nissans CVT yall are absolutely sleeping on their interiors. Given the price they compete in they’re doing some really amazing work.

        Mitsubishi has also had the rather nice Outlander PHEV. The Mirage needs to go as it’s just too crappy and soils the brand, but their work has been fine. I owned an Evo and I’d love another, but that didn’t make them money.

        Toyota has also been steadfast against BEVs (which I can sort of understand, but their Bz4X is a shit attempt) and their new turbo motors have had some reliability concerns.

        Subaru builds the ugliest cars on the road with all that plastic now and their motors continue to suffer head gasket issues.

        Honestly a Honda-Nissan-Mitsubishi corp would be capable of keeping up the fight. Especially given Nissan was an early player in the BEV game.

    • john89@lemmy.caEnglish
      3·
      3 days ago

      Alternative take: this merger will let them compete better with Toyota.

    • AlexisFR@jlai.luEnglish
      11·
      4 days ago

      But they can only improve now that they are separating from Renault.

  • cygnus@lemmy.caEnglish
    181·
    4 days ago

    I’m not sure what Honda gains from this other than production capacity. I suppose that depends on how closely merged the companies will be – they may only share platforms rather than go full badge engineering.

    • john89@lemmy.caEnglish
      5·
      3 days ago

      2 fewer Japanese car companies to compete with.

      Hondas competition has always been Toyota. Now it can be “Toyota vs. Honda” instead of “Toyota vs. Honda vs. Mitsubishi vs. Nissan”

    • megane-kun@lemm.eeEnglish
      3·
      4 days ago

      I don’t think they have ever left. They’re probably not as influential and as powerful as the South Korean Chaebols, but they pretty much never left.

      EDIT:

      Clarified confusing double negative.

    • nicerdicer@feddit.orgEnglish
      5·
      3 days ago

      The one (the boxy one, pre 1995) where the driver sits on the front axle has an outstanding design. Too bad they don’t make this design anymore due to crash safety reasons. The one (ca. 1995 onwards) where the driver sits behind the front axle looks boring, like any other generic family van.

      • remer@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        3 days ago

        I currently own a 1994 Star Wagon. I love it but the safety and reliability have me desperate for a replacement. I wish there were anything in the US market that was a similar Multi Purpose Vehicle form factor. The ID buzz range and price are a no-go for me.

  • Gork@lemm.eeEnglish
    91·
    4 days ago

    What will the new name be?

    Mitsuhonsan?

    Honsubisan?

    Nitsubida?

  • werefreeatlast@lemmy.worldEnglish
    31·
    4 days ago

    I’ve had a Nissan sentra and a maxima for many years. Now I got a Toyota hybrid and a Honda van and both are great cars. I think this will be great.